ROOTMIX [life-as-art]: December 2009

here's to twenty-ten!!!

happy new year precious readers! there's a rainbow-like ring around the full moon tonight, a blue moon at that! what a spectacular way to enter the new year.

earlier tonight i met with friends at ocean beach and we created are own ceremony to shed the old year and welcome in the new year. (as some folks burned christmas trees on the beach and others followed a rio de janeiro custom.) i realized how diabolical it is that not only am i invited to something like this, but that I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE INTO THIS TYPE OF THING TO BEGIN WITH!!! i love it! i love them!

we had noise makers, we meditated, we shared what we wanted to leave behind, we spritzed with yummy smelling essence, we embraced what we wished to welcome into our lives, we hooted and hollered. a bit like a wild rumpus! we burned our lists in a huge bonfire pit while being sage-smudged. super-awesome.

i left with a sense of an open heart, possessing the courage to move through obstacles, embracing being a beginner and the stumbling that goes along with that. twenty-ten is going to be so much fun. i feel so blessed to be able to share it with you!

in honor of new year's customs, i made sure to sweep out my home, empty all trash, recycling, and compost, along with the old vacuum bag and filter, before the new year. i will incorporate activities into new year's day that i welcome in abundance for 2010. note: this does not include doing dishes, cleaning, lending, being in debt, um, and cutting my hair (?). not until the 5th of the year.

a couple years ago i heard on an etsy forum that leaving your house with a suitcase and entering your home again will attract travel! walk in and out as many times as you want to travel, or more, just to make sure it sticks! it totally worked for me. that was my year with the most travel to date! it even carried over to this year. oh, and the suitcase doesn't even have to be packed!

i'm not aiming at a lot of travel this year, though i've got two cousins getting married on the other side of the country, but i AM aiming to create something everyday. i will share more about that in the next post.

let me know how your new year's eve went and what you're looking forward to doing in the new year. if you need some help, check out this resolution generator here!!! monina velarde has hooked us all up!

xoxo,
rootmix

5 days to go! ooo, la, la!

this is so cute! thanks purl bee! i totally have some reclaimed felt to use on this garland project. other upcycled options to complete this project include felting a thrifted sweater to cut out little circles, or even fabric scraps, newsprint, ephemera papers. what can you come up with?

if you make your own new year's eve garland, let me know in the comments, share a link to a photo of what you come up with!

i will make one and i will call it *confetti garland*!

xoxo,
rootmix

{sunday's bouquet} sweet year's end

this bouquet reminds me a bit of christmas ornaments.

{via a creative mint}

have fun taking down your trees and packing those holiday decorations safely away for next year... ahhh, what a year...

{spotted} tucker nichols

this piece really speaks to me, being an sf native, born and raised, and all. i especially giggle at the it's-it shout out and the vague props to whoever paints the bridge. to learn more about artist tucker nichols, go here.

p.s. it had never occured to me there wasn't any rice in la taqueria fare...

santa gets to rest now!

hope you all had warm and cozy holidays! i enjoyed time with my family and sending out holiday cheer to my friends far and near. i was a surprise leader in all the family games; who knew sudoku would train me so well for boggle!?!?!!!

i'm getting excited about the new year... all the seasons to come again, saying *twenty-ten* a lot, kicking off some daily crafty projects (*fingers crossed*), and FINALLY participating in thing-a-day february! whew! most exciting of all may be my round-the-clock decluttering & organizing marathon - can i get done by december 31st? stay tuned...

before i get to work, here's a look at some of my favorite holiday images and links i've been enjoying on YOUR blogs. you've really been getting me in the holiday spirit this year. it's been inspiring!

{click on pictures for source!}

this is a fun one! get one more dose of that holiday spirit while listening to some christmas songs on ukulele by lady harvatine! she's even got links so you can download the songs and a tutorial to fashion a fancy cd sleeve, if you so desire!

xoxo,
rootmix!!!

p.s. did you hear about the home alone twitter project?

i'm dreaming of a pink christmas!

i was *this* close to picking up a pink tree to decorate this year! but instead i did one of those foldy-magazine trees which took up a lot less space. i'm glad i can enjoy these pink delights online and won't have to pack anything away come december 26th.

{sunday's bouquet} remember spring!

i love these fresh, bright peonies each individually placed in crisp vessels. soon many of us will have something else individually displayed along our mantels, if not already... yes? (ho, ho, ho!)

{via nancy liu chin}

flickr just became a better friend to me...

dear blog,
ok, call me late to the party, but i just discovered that the little *browse* text between the two arrows on the flickr photostream search ACTUALLY HAS A FUNCTION!!! i know. why didn't you tell me? i don't usually admit these things, but i was so not a super-fan of flickr cuz of how un-user-friendly it sometimes was. like, why wasn't i able to easily go back to the big layout of photos in a photostream in one easy click? huh?

well, it's cuz i never tried clicking on *browse*. i guess i needed one of those mouse/mice that vibrate when it rolls over a viable link. my friend's son had one of those when he was 2. i mean, i might have stumbled across the browse function earlier with one of 'em, eh? just maybe.

what has taken you longer than usual to clue in on???

swak,
rootmix

and, p.s., i like flickr a lot more now. but what else am i missing!?!?!?!?

indie crafting shopping alert!

have you made a commitment to buying handmade this year? find all those unique, joyful, and hand-crafted goods this weekend at the bazaar bizarre! i'll be walking around checking out the stuffs on saturday. maybe i'll see you there!!!

oooh, and check out a special limited edition poster by jaime zollars that will be available at the event!!! i love the mini positive messages throughout!